WE LOVE HIM: : Bristol Rovers agree club-record fee to sign key midfielder from

Bristol Rovers have agreed a deal with Grimsby Town to sign midfielder Kamil Conteh, Bristol Live understands, for a fee that is understood to equate to a club-record fee for the League One club.

Having only signed the 21-year-old last July on a three-year contract, Grimsby were reluctant to part ways with their most prized asset so early into his tenure but after an outstanding first half of the season for the Mariners in League Two, Conteh was subject to interest from numerous clubs, some of which are understood to also be from League One as well as the Championship. It is also understood that a 20 per cent sell on clause has been inserted in the deal.

Bristol Live reported earlier this week that the midfielder’s release clause had been met by the Gas but there was still work to do be done in order to finalise the deal, particularly with other potential suitors demonstrating their interest in the highly-rated talent.RELATED ARTICLE

However, subject to a medical, it appears as though Rovers have won the race to sign Conteh who is expected to travel down to Bristol early on Friday with the hope that a deal can be completed before the midday deadline in order to allow him to be involved in Saturday’s League One match at home to

An eight-cap international for Sierra Leone, the London-born midfielder came through the youth ranks at Watford and made one senior appearance for the Hornets and spending the final three months of the 2021/22 season on loan in the National League South with Braintree Town before joining Middlesbrough that summer on a free transfer.

However, after only a couple of months into his stay with Boro, featuring for their youth sides, Conteh went out on loan again, spending the majority of last term on loan in the National League with Gateshead which is where he caught plenty of attention as the north-east outfit finished 14th in their first season back in the fifth tier and were runners-up in the FA Troph

That led to Grimsby purchasing the then-20-year-old from Middlesbrough last July and he has since shone under both former boss Paul Hurst and current head coach David Artell, making a total of 28 appearances for the Mariners.

Conteh is a combative midfielder who ranks highest in the fourth tier for most tackles completed per game at 2.5 and boasts impressive interception numbers too which will hopefully had a bit of grit to the Gas’ options in the middle of the park.

Midfield is a position that has quickly been targeted as the priority for additions after seeing loanees Lamare Bogarde and Ryan Woods return to their respective parent clubs Aston Villa and Hull City while Grant Ward is expected to be out injured with a hamstring issue un